Nope, not normal at all. And is that a root sprout coming up beside it? A definite sign of stress.

Is it a goner or can it be saved? any ideas? The bark has kinda been like this since I planted it, but it didnt start separating until now.

Thats not a root sprout, it grew off the main trunk below everything else. I did have some sprouts this spring but once the main part of the tree sprouted they stopped coming up.

This post was edited by ImTheDerek on Tue, Oct 7, 14 at 22:42

How large a transplant was this and how long ago?

There are many many trees on the forum with similar damage. I would love to get to the bottom of it.

Can you lost a picture of where the trunk meets the ground, then another with the much pulled back if necessary.

My vote for now is to train that side sprout to be the new leader figuring the rest of the tree will not leaf out beautifully and encapsulate that wound next year.

It could be a couple days for a picture - I wont be home during daylight until Thursday.

It was 13 feet transplanted almost a year ago exactly. I wasn't looking for a tree that big but its what they had. Within a week after they delivered it both trees i got at the same time (this one and a london plane tree) dropped their leaves. I planted them anyway. The LPT is doing perfectly fine and has added a good amount of girth to its trunk and shedded at least one layer of bark that I know of.

The trunk is about 3" in diameter and that sprout is basically a twig - id be better off starting over in my opinion. But I have not been able t find another Red Oak for sale anywhere. I live in California. I wanted one for my front yard and no luck finding one so far even after a year.

Is there a different type of oak that looks similar and has a fast growth rate? I posted the same picture on Reddit and someone said that Sudden Oak Death has been a big problem lately in California. Their suggestion was a Black Walnut. I want the fall color.

I should add that a couple months ago I noticed the leaves were all covered in a waxy shiny substance, which has since gone away. Other than that I haven't seen anything unusual, other than the bark looking like its getting worse.

Water oak is the fastest growing oak tree. I have one that is about 14 feet tall and is only 5 years old. It was a seedling from the many acorns that my HUGE water oak tree drops. It is a nice tree that is not often talked about but it may not live past or even close to 100 years.
My house is 55 years old. Im not sure how old the big water oak tree is but it is the biggest one of its kind in the neighbourhood.
It is about 20 feet from the house. It is about 70 feet tall and more than 3 feet in diameter. It will naturally form a crown shape but mine was cut on the right side of the pic because of a power line. This tree is also in the "red oak" family.

Good luck.

Side sprout or root sprout ... whatever you want to call it - sprouting from the base is a sign of stress, not healthy behavior in a species like this.

Quercus rubra is not native to California. I don't know what happened to your tree but I would suggest using a more regionally native oak next time.

You should be able to go back to who you bought it from and ask for some refund/replacement as many good nurseries have a 1 year warranty.

Something physically damaged the trunk, I'd warrant. It looks like there's wounds present, beginning to close up, but not being too successful at it. I echo what others have said-either train one of the trunk spouts to be the new tree, or get a replacement.

BTW, I'm surprised to see red oak in Cali. Is it Quercus rubra? Or is some other oak called red oak out there? The leaves do at least look like our northern red oak.

+oM

The tag said northern red oak. I don't remember the scientific name. They aren't native and are hard to find, possibly for good reason. They also can't be shipped from out of state either. I plan on posting pics tomorrow to see if I can save it, but it looks like I'll be tree shopping for something else. Hickory looks like a candidate.

Hickory is not native to California either. Why not choose something that is meant to be there?

If you can find one from a local nursery or from online that can be shipped to California, the Texas Red Oak, Quercus Buckleyi, would probably do well for you. They are a smaller, more heat and drought tolerant red oak.

Yup, what him said: While I think northern red oak a grand tree, and probably my personal favorite forest oak (as opposed to things like bur oak, swamp white oak, etc. which are also great trees but more likely seen in savanna situations), none of these are adapted to Cali conditions. Meanwhile, there are a number of oaks which are just that-adapted to your locale. Better results in the long run.

+oM

when trees sprout from way down below... its a fair indication that the above is.. or will be... dead ...

but the sprout indicates the roots are not dead ...

so you can let the sprout mature... reduce to one .... and leave the larger dead tree there for a year or two... so you dont trod upon the babe ...

and then cut it off then ... slight angle dipping away from the new part ....

ken